In the late 1930\'s, when the United States was starting to stretch from the Great epression, a young Stanford graduate came to California\'s Salinas Valley seeking employment. H.W. \"Cy\" Mann started his agricultural career trimming fruit and lettuce for 40 cents per hour. He loaded grain onto boxcars and through hard work and dedication, eventually became foreman of a produce shed. It was 1939 when he opened a fresh carrot packing operation called H.W. Mann. It was soon thereafter that Mr. Mann found his niche in the fresh vegetable industry: broccoli.